


Lies, Logic and Resolve

by Treble (Cutty_Ren), TSTrashCaptain



Category: Sanders Sides, Thomas Sanders
Genre: Emotional Manipulation, Gen, Manipulation, lying, slight physical abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 15:17:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13661706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cutty_Ren/pseuds/Treble, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TSTrashCaptain/pseuds/TSTrashCaptain
Summary: Logan runs into a dilemma that proves to be a bit more than he can handle.





	Lies, Logic and Resolve

Logan sat in his room staring intently at a piece of paper on his desk. The pencil in his hand was being twirled around his index and thumb in a fidgeting motion of deep concentration. It felt like his job of making schedules and organizing daily tasks was never complete but, he enjoyed the work.

Suddenly, Roman burst into the room, a dramatic puff of rainbow glitter in his wake. “Logan! I need your help immediately, it’s a crisis I tell you!” The theatrical side threw his hands up in his usual pose. 

There came a startled yelp from Logan as he flung his pencil into an unknown corner of the room. His attention snapped up to glare daggers at his creative counterpart. “Roman! How many times have I specifically requested that you knock before entering my room?”

“Several, but that’s hardly the point! Now, I’m sure whatever nonsense you’re doing is quite important and all that, but what I need is _more_ important.” Roman said, pouting a little at the reprimand. 

Logan arched a skeptical brow at Roman’s insistence. “I highly doubt this project you seek my assistance with is all that important. But, I know you well enough to not argue semantics. Please explain your dilemma so that I might return promptly to my work.”

“I have a new idea for the next video, Chemistry Set, but I need your eagle eye to work out the details. I know you’re busy, but can you spare a few moments right now? It really is terribly important, and I’d hate to leave poor Thomas without creative inspiration when he needs it most. Even _you_ have to agree that’s important!” Roman’s voice was cajoling, clearly trying to convince his logical counterpart.

“Well, would you mind being a bit more specific about the ideas you have? I can’t really commit my time to a task if I don’t know what it entails.” Logan’s tone bordered on frustration.

“I have a variety of ideas, Logan, but I’m simply dreadful at seeing the realistic pitfalls. I’m worried they may be too ‘pie-in-the-sky’, so I was hoping you could take a look at the storyboards I have laid out and give me some feedback. It shouldn’t take long, but it is imperative that I find any issues quickly so I can get these ideas finished in time for Thomas to actually accomplish them.” Roman flashed a brilliant smile and gestured to the door. “Surely you can spare a few minutes, for the sake of our illustrious host?” 

There came a long sigh as Logan sat back in his chair, left thumb and index pinching the bridge of his nose. “I can tell you are rather adamant on this so I will come take a gander at your ‘storyboard’ of ideas.” With great reluctance he stood from his desk and walked over to Roman. “Go ahead and lead the way,” he gestured towards the hallway with an open palm.

“Fantastic!” Roman beamed at him, happily leading him down the hall to his room. Once there, he opened the door with a flourish and gestured Logan inside. “After you, Professor.”

As Logan stepped into Roman’s abode he was taken aback by the sheer brightness and radiance of everything. This wasn’t his first visit to the creative trait’s room yet, he couldn’t recall everything being so intense last time. The ability to process his surroundings slowly became more muddled and it was getting harder for him to remember why he was there in the first place. He felt strangely lightheaded and woozy, and placing his thoughts in order was like trying to work his way through a maze blindfolded.

“Oh my, is something the matter, Logan?” Roman’s voice was…saccharine, falsely concerned. His eyes were just a little too bright, a little too mean. “Are you feeling alright? You seem a little…disoriented.” The smirk that spread across his face was foreign and familiar all at once. 

“Wh-what is…h-happening? My…my head…it’s so..so difficult to think…” Logan fumbled with trying to talk. He barely noticed his body lose its balance as he braced himself heavily against a wall. His gaze peered up at Roman and for a brief moment he caught a glimpse of Creativity’s form rippling like a mirage. Among that small ripple he saw the reptilian eye of Deceit. There was now a faint realization of the danger he was in so with his wavering strength he gathered a breath to call for help.

Roman flicked his wrist in a familiar gesture, silencing Logan immediately. The gleeful smirk on his face was nothing like the genuine smiles the Prince usually made, and his voice was now dripping with sarcasm and disdain. “Ah ah ah! No need for that, Logan. Everything is just fine. You’re only here to help me with a project! There’s no reason to worry at all.”

A small piece of Logan knew he should try to leave, but his state of confusion had him all out of sorts. He attempted to speak, but no words would come. He could feel them clawing up his throat, but couldn’t force them past the block. His head swam and his knees gave out as he sank to the floor. Deceit’s smile was bright as he peered down at his prey.

“There’s no need to rush away, Logan. It’s not like anything bad will happen if you stay.”

This situation was less than ideal for the Logical trait to be trapped in.

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Patton made his way down the corridor towards Logan’s room, book in hand. He had just finished reading Animals and Their Habitats. He knocked quietly on the door, waiting for the logical side to call him in, but there was no response. Frowning, he knocked again. Logan had been in his room, he was certain of it. Glancing about furtively, he tried the doorknob and when it turned easily in his grasp he risked poking his head inside.

“Logan? I came by to return your book-” Patton stopped talking when he realized the room was empty. He looked around in confusion. Logan was here earlier, so where had he gone? Maybe Roman or Virgil knew where he went? Only one way to find out. Morality quietly closed Logan’s door and headed back to the common area.

Virgil was slumped on the couch, his headphones on as he scrolled through his phone. By all appearances, he was blasting his music and browsing Tumblr as per usual. Roman was performing a dramatic rendition of “You’re Welcome” from Moana while Virgil periodically shifted, scowled and rolled his eyes.

“Hey there, kiddos! Do either of you know where Logan went?” Patton asked, cutting Roman off mid-verse. The royal pouted at the interruption.

“No idea, Pat. Haven’t seen him all day,” Virgil replied without glancing up from his phone.

Roman eyed Virgil suspiciously at the quick response. “How did you even hear him, Gloom and Doom? I thought you were listening to your PG-13 music?” Roman’s voice was deceptively pleasant. 

Virgil froze in place. He slowly drew back into his hoodie, the scrolling motions of his finger getting more frantic as he desperately tried to ignore the whole situation. Virgil kept his head down, refusing to look at any of them.

A smug smile slowly spread across Roman’s face. “You…were _listening_ to me sing!” he shouted triumphantly.

Virgil flinched, still staring intently at his phone. “No idea what you’re talking about, Princey,” he quietly denied, immediately sinking out without another word.

Roman made a noise of disappointment, frowning at the place where Virgil had been. “Awww. I wanted to tease him some more.” Roman pouted, thoroughly put out.

Patton gave him a reassuring smile. “Roman, focus please. Logan wasn’t in his room so I thought you or Virgil had some idea where he could be…” A realization suddenly hit Patton and his eyes grew frightfully wide. _Oh no…_ Before Roman could ask him what was wrong he dropped the book and sprinted from the room. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Logan was laying on his side unable to push himself back up. Deceit chuckled softly, still in Roman’s borrowed voice. He slowly shoved Logan onto his back with his foot, but the second they touched, the illusion shimmered and broke.

“My, my, I thought you were the clever one, Logic. But here you are. You followed me so easily! You barely questioned me at all in that disguise.” For a moment, his face wavered and became Roman’s before fading back to his usual features. Mocking laughter filled Logan’s ears. 

Logic’s mind was still a swirling mass of confusion. He couldn’t talk, he couldn’t stand, he couldn’t think…why wasn’t he able to think? Why had all of his strength and resolve just evaporated once he stepped foot in this room? Whose room was this again? Roman’s? No…that wasn’t right…come on, why couldn’t he gather his train of thoughts into something coherent?

“Do you really trust them _that_ much, Logic? How…emotional of you.” Deceit idly prodded Logan’s side with his toe, a bored expression on his face. “Honestly, it’s so much fun when you don’t fight back. It’s not too easy at all.”

Deceit made a quick gesture, and Logan felt the harshest edges of his fuzziness ease. He could actually put some of his thoughts in order now, and quickly realized exactly where he was. Deceit beamed down at him, looking thoroughly delighted.

“There we are! It’s so boring when you don’t make me work for it, Logic. You could at least _try_ to make this difficult.” A strangled sound escaped Logan’s throat, and Deceit’s smile turned into an ugly sneer. “Oh, I’m not making it that easy for you. Wouldn’t want anyone coming to rescue you now, would we?”

The logical side grimaced and tried to sit up, his head spinning, but a harsh stomp to his chest quickly shoved him back to the floor. Deceit’s boot pressed firmly into his chest, keeping him pinned down while Logan’s hands feebly tried to move it.

At that moment, the door to Deceit’s room burst open and Patton barged in. He froze in the doorway for only a second as he took in the sight. His eyes quickly glanced between Logan and Deceit before a stern expression dominated his features. “Let. Him. Go.” The words emanated his protective nature as he glared at the deceptive trait.

“I’m so utterly shocked by this development. I didn’t expect you at all.” Deceit said mockingly, pulling a very fake look of surprise. “I’m shaking in my boots.” He drove the heel of his boot a bit harder into Logan’s chest only to emphasize the opposite. Logan squinted his eyes and squirmed beneath the weight, a pained grimace contorting his features.

Patton’s expression only grew more fierce as he continued to glare at Deceit. He took a confident step forward and spoke again. “Your power isn’t real. It’s an illusion, just like everything else about you.” 

Deceit winced from the words and his lips dropped into a small frown. “Look at you, such an altruist. Here to save the ones you love even when they don’t love you back.”

Patton flinched a little, but straightened his shoulders and lifted his chin. “They love me just as much as I love them. The only person who isn’t loved in this room is you, and it burns you.”

The remark cut deep and Deceit lessened his weight on Logan’s chest. “That’s it Morality, keep lying to yourself, keep pretending like the others care for you. It’s such a pathetic display seeing your compassion being so wasted on-”

“It is never wasted,” Patton interjected, “and I don’t have to pretend. I know Logan, Roman and Virgil love me. They show me every day, even if they don’t say it.” Morality advanced, and for each step he took forward, Deceit fell back one. “We are a family, something you wouldn’t know anything about.”

Deceit let out an angry hiss, trying to be intimidating despite his control slipping. “Family is such a laughable concept. They are just as likely to praise you as they are to throw you to the dogs.” His two toned eyes glanced down at Logan. “Logic certainly is the one to do the latter, don’t you think?” The words sounded desperate, almost frantic.

“F…Falsehood.” Logan’s voice was weak, but he gritted out the word through clenched teeth, glaring up at Deceit. “Patton is…the best of us. And I am honored to be considered part of his family.” His thoughts were clearing, and it was easier to breathe. The influence Deceit held appeared to be diminishing. Honesty always had a way of melting his magic.

“Logan has always been there for me when I needed him, even when it seemed like he wasn’t.” Patton glared at the dark trait before reaching down and offering Logan a hand to help him up. 

Deceit had lost; his illusion of control was broken and he had been reduced to a scowling sputtering mess in the farthest corner of his room. “This is over and you’ve certainly seen the last of me.” 

Logan rolled his eyes, sharing a look with the moral side before leaning heavily against him, rubbing at his chest. “Why?”

“Why what, Logic dear? You’ll have to be more specific!” Deceit practically sang, his mismatched eyes glowing with malice.

“Why me? You could have targeted any of us, and there was certainly easier prey to be had. So why me?” Logan doubted he’d get an honest answer, but perhaps he could glean something from the lies.

Deceit cocked his head, a smirk curling his lips. “Oh, but you were the easiest prey, Logic. Didn’t you know that? You’re the weakest one, so it had to be you first or no one.”

Logan scowled, his mind quickly snapping into action, analyzing and positing theories. “If you state I am the weakest, then you clearly feel the opposite is true. The strength I hold is in knowledge and the statement of fact.” He paused here, and the flicker of nervousness that Deceit immediately hid bolstered his certainty. “You fear me because you fear the truth. Simple honesty is your ultimate weakness. That’s why you chose me.”

Deceit scowled, huffing and turning away. “That’s completely absurd. You think far too highly of yourself.” 

Patton shot the deceptive side one last look of disdain and took this opportunity to help escort Logan swiftly out of Deceit’s lair. 

“There you are, Padre! What in the name of Dear Evan Hansen had you running out of here in such a–oh my goodness, Logan, are you alright?!” Roman cried, watching as Patton guided a worse for wear Logic to a seat on the couch.

“I am adequate, Roman.” Logan gave Princey a weak smile and then winced. He dropped onto the couch and focused on his breathing.

“You most certainly are not!” Patton scolded, giving him a fierce frown. “Your chest is going to ache for days.”

That had the royal’s brows raising.“I’m sorry, what is happening here?”

Logan glowered at the floor, silently hoping if he ignored the question it would go away, but the look Patton shot him told him he would have no such luck. “I had an unfortunate…incident involving Deceit.”

“WHAT?! Logan, you know better than to–” Roman started, concerned.

“I do, I promise. He disguised himself as…a friend. I’m afraid I fell for it entirely.” Logan’s cheeks colored slightly, remembering how easily he was fooled. Roman hummed in thought, tapping one finger against his lips pensively.

“A…friend? Which friend, Logan? You only have three. It was either Patton, Virgil or myself, and one would certainly hope you’d know us well enough to tell the difference!” Roman eyed him suspiciously when he tensed, realization dawning. “Oh my god…it was me! He disguised himself as _me_?!”

Logan cringed a little at the thoroughly outraged shriek, casting a frantic look in Patton’s direction. “Yes, well, to be fair, he was a rather convincing Roman!”

“Yeah, kiddo! Deceit is really good at what he does, you can’t blame poor Logan. He’s been through enough today.” Patton’s soft, reproachful tone seemed to settle both of the others, but Roman still looked incensed.

“What could he possibly have done to convince you it was me?” Roman huffed, crossing his arms and glaring at the floor.

“He literally kicked my door open and entered in a puff of rainbow glitter. Who but you would do something so utterly ridiculous? Frankly, I’m surprised Deceit could maintain that level of “extra” long enough to convince me.” Logan’s voice was dry, one sarcastic brow arched, and Patton smothered a giggle behind his hands.

Roman seemed apprehensive about the whole thing but he could tell Logan was off-put by the situation. He let his incredulous attitude drop and relaxed his shoulders. “Well, I certainly can’t fault you for believing such an outrageous display. Shall I go give the ruffian a piece of my mind in your honor, Logan?”

“That’s very kind of you, Roman, but we both know you haven’t any to spare.” Logan shot him a smirk, but his eyes were warm and affectionate. Roman gasped dramatically and made an affronted noise, but he was smiling in return. If Logan was feeling well enough to verbally spar with him, then he must not have been too badly harmed.

Patton smiled fondly at the two and then took a seat next to Logan. “I’m just so gosh darn happy you are okay, Logan.” He reached over and pulled his Logical counterpart into a gentle hug. Logan stiffened for a moment, then relaxed into the hug with a soft smile.

“As am I, Patton.” The couch made an ominous sound as Roman flopped heavily into the seat on his other side, throwing his arms around both of them. Logan rolled his eyes, but chuckled a little. “Thank you for rescuing me.”

“Aww, no thanks needed, Teach. That’s what you do for family.” Patton squeezed him a little tighter, and Logan swallowed around the lump in his throat, surrounded by two thirds of his precious family.

“Uhhh….what did I miss?” Virgil asked from the doorway, a very confused frown on his face. The other three shared a look, then turned in unison to smile at the anxious side, who leaned back apprehensively.

“Family hug, kiddo! Bring it in!” Patton called, holding one arm out to him. Virgil hesitated, clearly torn, but when Logan and Roman both reached out to him he relented. He quickly shuffled over to the couch and allowed himself to be unceremoniously pulled into the impromptu cuddle session.

This is what family felt like. It felt like home, and Logan was content to be a part of it.


End file.
